Federal immigration officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, in Minneapolis on Saturday amidst a federal immigration crackdown. The incident drew hundreds of protesters to the streets, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the operation as "organized brutality," vowing that the state, not the federal government, would lead the investigation. The Department of Homeland Security stated that officers fired "defensive shots" after Pretti, identified by his parents and described as a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry, approached them with a firearm and "violently resisted" attempts to disarm him.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara urged for calm and peace, noting limited information about the shooting and stating Pretti's only prior law enforcement interaction was for traffic tickets. Bystander videos emerged, with one appearing to show multiple officers surrounding Pretti before shots were heard; the videos do not clearly show him with a visible weapon, though DHS released a photo of a handgun they said belonged to him. The shooting occurred near the site of another fatal shooting weeks earlier involving an ICE officer, exacerbating tensions in a city already protesting federal immigration enforcement. Governor Walz called on President Trump to remove federal agents from Minnesota, while Trump accused the city's mayor and governor of "inciting insurrection" and defended the federal operation.
Vice President JD Vance suggested that local leadership in Minnesota had refused requests from ICE agents to collaborate, preventing situations from getting "out of hand." Congressman Bennie Thompson called for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, criticizing the administration's handling of the incident and statements made about Pretti. Protesters, some carrying signs and chanting "ICE out now," gathered at the scene, with federal officers deploying pepper spray and batons.